"You will report to the Courageous at 0600, two days hence, Lieutenant," the Captain read off his datapad and glanced up the bright eyed young woman, not yet out of her teens, who smiled at him with such eagerness.
"Thankyou, sir!" Lt Aalia Cooper could barely contain her excitement.
"Dismissed, Ell-tee," the Captain jerked his head.
Aalia snapped a salute up to the hairline of her bright red hair and down, before virtually skipping off on long, lithe legs. She couldn't contain the smile, and when the handsome young man greeted her at the base of the stairs, she launched herself at him, wrapping those long legs around his waist and arms around his neck.
Kaidan Alenko kissed her soundly and Aalia returned the kiss with enthusiasm.
"I got it! I got the Courageous!" she rested her forehead on his, their breaths mingling.
"I knew you would," his husky voice broadened her smile and she kissed him again, "Come on, I have something to show you." He lowered her to the ground and took her hand. He tugged her toward the balcony that overlooked the arm of the Citadel that swept out in an elegant arc. It was green, and blue, and beautiful.
"What?" Aalia frowned, peering over the balcony, "I have seen this before, Kaidan." She turned back to him and realised he was kneeling before her, a glittering diamond in his right hand and outstretched toward her. Her breath hitched.
"I love you more than life itself, Aalia," his dark, whiskey hued eyes regarded her with tenderness, "Please, will you marry me?"
Aalia reached out and cupped her face in her soft hand, her eyes sparkling with tears and happiness, "Oh, Kaidan! Yes!" She launched herself forward and kissed him soundly, collapsing into his lap.
He laughed and clutched her closely.
Aalia stared down at the ring she now had looped on her tags around her neck. Not strictly regs, but under her gear, who would know? A smile curved her lips, and a blush coloured her cheeks as she recalled the previous twenty four hours. The elevator hummed from the crew deck up to the CIC.
"Nice piece of shiny, Lt," came a drawling voice from behind her.
Aalia tucked it back into the neck of her tunic and glanced guiltily at the speaker. She was a tall, blonde, beautiful and coolly elegant.
"Hey, I wont say anything," the woman shrugged with a smile.
"I know we aren't meant to…but…" Aalia pressed her hand over her heart, "I only just got engaged."
"Congratulations," the woman replied, and held out her hand, "I'm Jenna. Jenna Kreis. Well…Gunnery Chief Kreis, I suppose. Who is the lucky guy?"Aalia shook the proffered hand with enthusiasm.
"His name is Kaidan Alenko. He is an LC in the Alliance military. Assigned to the Normandy," the elevator swished open, and Aalia stepped out. She turned around to speak again to the Chief, and was startled at the furious expression that coloured the lovely features.
"I…" she began, but was prevented from speaking as the doors slid shut. She rubbed her neck, startled.
"Lieutenant," Captain Lincoln Dvoraczek spoke gruffly from his position before the command board, "Take your position please, we would like to get underway within the hour."
"Yes, sir," Aalia snapped a sharp salute.
The batarian vessel fired on the Courageous, ignoring their warning hail. Aalia rapidly pre-empted orders, and sharply corrected their course, swinging the big guns around to fire broadside. She hailed the batarian vessel again, her fingers flickering over controls on her panel, under the Captain's view.
"The Alliance cruiser, "Courageous" hailing unknown batarian vessel. Power down your guns, or we will be forced to fire. I repeat, power down your guns or we will be forced to fire," her sweet voice echoed over the comm, and the Captain watched her with sharp eyes, ready to take over. He rubbed his lean, grizzled cheek with a rough forefinger, and nearly snorted when she spoke. "Mine is bigger than yours," there was the hint of steel under the honey softness from the Lieutenant. The helmsman choked.
"Lieutenant," the Captain growled warningly, his muscular form leaning forward in his chair, his frown deepening the wrinkles that scored his eyes.
"They are lowering their shields, sir, ready for boarding," a signaller acknowledged the return hail and relayed the information. Aalia glanced back at the Captain and grinned.
"Nice work, Lieutenant," the Captain leaned back with relief and nodded at her, though his eyes twinkled with amusement even if his mouth could not. He glanced at the man seated to his left, "Commander Nolan, see to the landing party."
Nolan frowned, "Sir? Shouldn't Lieutenant Cooper as subordinate…"
"Now, Mr Nolan," the Captain speared him with a fierce grey gaze that brooked no insolence.
Aalia did not see the flinty glance cast her way by the Commander, she was giving orders to the helmsman to bring them in.
"You have given exemplary service these last months, Lieutenant," the Captain gestured for her to be seated before his desk. Aalia lowered her salute and hesitantly did so, "A little unusual at times," he gave a faint smile, "But effective."
"Thank you, sir," Aalia beamed at him broadly, "It has been a dream to serve on the Courageous. My mother…"
"Yes, I believe she was Captain before my own posting. She must be very proud," Dvoraczek clasped his hands before him.
"She is," Aalia nodded, "Both my parents are."
"And I believe you are getting married on your next leave, Lieutenant?" the Captain consulted a piece of paper after putting on his reading glasses. He tugged them off again.
"I…yes, sir," Aalia was startled.
"To Lieutenant Commander Kaidan Alenko?"
"Yes…sir?" Aalia slumped in her seat a little, and she touched the small lump that rested between her breasts.
"My sincere congratulations," Dvoraczek smiled, "Here." He handed over a letter, "Your approval for a week's extra leave. Consider it a wedding gift. And if you would do me a great favour?" A lift of a dark brow, "I have a package I would like you to deliver to Ambassador Fabien. He is the human ambassador to the Citadel."
"Of course, sir," Aalia took the long, narrow package and the letter, a little bewildered.
"Congratulations, Lieutenant," the Captain reached across the desk and held out his hand, "I will see you back on deck in two weeks."
Aalia laughed, the sound a rolling, joyful sound in the enclosed space. She clasped his large paw with her own long, narrow fingers, "Thankyou, sir! Oh, thankyou!"
Aalia sighed and stretched luxuriously beside her sleeping Kaidan, her naked form brushing his own. She nuzzled the soft skin of his back, and caressed the muscles that curved his torso. And muttered in annoyance as the front door heralded a guest. She checked the time. 0700? She was on leave! And getting married today. That's just not right.
She tugged on a shirt and shorts and stumbled out, her long red hair coiling in disarray over her shoulders. Her large green eyes blinked in surprise at the sight of two C-Sec officers on the vid comm.
"Officers? I…what's the problem?"
"Let us in, ma'am, we have a warrant," the turian intoned firmly. They were both armed.
"What?" Aalia frowned, her voice rising in her fear, "What are you talking about?"
Kaidan stumbled out, hastily tugged on black pants. He rubbed sleepy eyes, "Aalia? What's going on?"
"They have a warrant…" Aalia sounded bewildered.
"Better, let them in," Kaidan moved forward and touched the security panel. The turian and human officer crowded in and shoved the piece of paper at Aalia. She took it with a shaking hand.
"That is a warrant to search these premises for the item listed. If found in your position, we are to take you into custody."
"What?" Aalia stared at the paper. One item was on it. A datapad of specific serial number containing information on the Alliance military, "I don't have anything like this. Kaidan?"
"We have certain knowledge that you do, ma'am," the turian replied flatly, "Best you stand aside and let us do our job."
Aalia stared at Kaidan, "I don't understand."
Kaidan took the paper and frowned at it, "I'm not sure I do either."
The turian returned after a few minutes with the package the Captain had given her. It was unwrapped. There was a datapad.
"That's not mine," Aalia protested, "I was given that by the Captain to give to Ambassador Fabien."
"Mister Fabien has been found guilty of selling Alliance information to interested parties," the human C-Sec officer replied bluntly, "And your name came up as one of those who was feeding him information."
"No, it's not possible! I would never!" Aalia protested. The turian tugged her hands together and manacled them, "Kaidan! You have to do something!"
Kaidan just stood there, staring at the piece of paper, "Aalia. What have you done?"
"Nothing!" Aalia shrieked as she was tugged toward the doors, "I haven't done anything!"
"Lieutenant Aalia Cooper, you have been found guilty of trading Alliance information with Ambassador Cooper. By supplying him with this information, you have directly endangered the fleet. I hereby strip you of your rank and sentence you to twenty years on Arvuna. Perhaps by helping the colony, you will find some small restitution for your actions," the Admiral slammed down his gavel, a holdover from days long past.
Aalia stood when tugged into place by her ineffectual lawyer. Her hair was lank from months imprisoned, her expression blank and eyes beaten down from weeks of testimony from her once shipmates that she had been guilty of that which they were accusing her. She went through her existence completely bewildered. Evidence piled on evidence, and soon, even Kaidan was looking at her warily. Her parents were her only supporters and when she was manacled and taken from the courtroom, her mother cried. Aalia had run out of tears. She merely stared blankly at the wall of the shuttle the shoved her into that would take her to the prison ship, and then onto the Caleston Rift Mass Effect Relay.
She tipped her head back against the wall of the shuttle as two other prisoners were shoved in alongside her. She closed her eyes to their leering eyes and tried to edge away from prying fingers. She was wrong. She hadn't run out of tears. They ran silently down her cheeks.
Twelve Years Later
"This is the Monte Cristo, requesting docking permission," the drawling voice of her pilot hailed the Omega traffic control.
"Acknowledged, Monte Cristo. You can use docking bay B16," the disembodied voice crackled over the comm.
"Should be parked in moments, Shepard," Joker Moreau announced to the woman who stood behind his chair.
"Good," her voice was a graveled snarl, wrought by scarring on her throat.
"You want me to get hold of Jack?"
"Yeah," she turned and stalked out of the forward bay where Joker flew the ship.
The ship docked, and dressed in tight black armour, she stood before the exit hatch. Vaea Shepard stared at her reflection. Her hair was a shorn cap of dark red. Green eyes were faintly lined at the corners. Scars marred her once smooth, refined features. Piercings glittered in her nose and along her ears. She settled her pistol more securely in its holster - the tattoos on the back of her hand flexing and curving with her movement. She glanced up as her more heavily tattooed and scantily clad companion, Jack Naught joined her at the portal.
"Going to see Aria?" the lusciously curved lips of the powerful biotic pursed thoughtfully.
"Figured Captain Vaea Shepard should go pay her respects to the Queen of Omega,"
Jack grinned, "Right behind you, boss."
The door opened into the pressurised corridor linking them to Omega. Vaea's dark, kohl rimmed eyes scanned the area, "Let's go."
Little Aalia Cooper was all grown up and wearing black combat boots, Vaea mused bleakly as she rested her hand lightly on her pistol, she wouldn't have survived two minutes on Omega.
She strode out, Jack beside her, and thought with amusement: now she could just about buy the place.